Automatic railway-switch



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. DRAKE.

( No Model.)

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH.

No. 313,928. Patented Mar. 17, 1885.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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G. S. DRAKE.

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(No Model.)

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CHARLES S. DRAKE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-SWiTCi l.

EJPELIFICATIUN forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,926, dated March17, 1885.

Application and April 21, 1883. (No model.)

(ii Z], 7071,0122, 7'15 771/17 concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. DRAKE, a citizen of the UnitedSt-ates,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Railway-Switches, of which the following is a deseription.

My invention relates to improvements in operating railway-switches. Theobject sought to be attained is to operate a switch automatically fromthe engine or motor, and thereby place it directly under control of theengineer.

The following description fully explains the nature of my said inventionand the manner in which I proceed to construct, apply, use, and carryout the same, the said drawings being referred to by figures andletters.

In the several views or figures given in the said drawings, Figure 1 isa plan of a section of railway-track at a switch having my improvementapplied to operate the switch from the main or through line in bothdirections. Fig. 2 is a detail view, on a larger scale, of theswitclrthrowing lever, its connecting-bar, and the locking device andits operating-lever. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, also on a largerscale, showing a construction of switch-dog or throwing-plate to beoperated by vertical pressure from projecting stops or devices on theengine. Fig. 3 is aplan or top View showing the arrangement and positionof the actuating dogs or plates by which the switch is unlocked, thrown,and locked in position. Fig. 4. is a longitudinal section through Fig. 3on aline just inside the right-hand or lower rail. Figs. 5, 6, 7,8 areviews showing the construction and application of the switch-actuatingdevice upon the engine. Fig. 5 shows its position on the engine; Fig. 6,an under side view or plan of the stops and their operating-levers andlocking mechanism by which the position of the stops is controlled andregulated from the engine. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the stops andtheir case, and Fig. 8 alongitudinal section through Fig. 7. Fig. 9shows a modification of these stops or operating devices on the engine.Fig. 10 is a cross-section of the operating-barrel, taken through thelockingpin, line as m of Fig. 7. Fig. 11 is a like seet-ion of the same,taken through one of the arms or stops, line y y; of Fig. 8.

In carrying out and applying my said improvements I connect the outer orfree end of the two rails A A of the movable section of track, known asthe switch, by a tie, 13, formed of a flat bar. The other ends of thesection are jointed to the fixed rails or stationary part of the trackC, in order to give sufficient lateral movement or spring. To the centerof this tie or cross-bar B is pivoted one end, arm, or member of anoscillating lever or plate having its center of motion, 2,fixedin asuitableblock or plate, 3,anchored in the roadbed. To the longer memberor center extension, 1, of this lever the switchbar B is attached, whileto the outer lateral extensions, 4 4, connection of rods or bars 5 6 ismade. These are carried longitudinally to points suitably distant fromthe switch-point, where they are attached to oscillating levers orplates 7 8, also pivoted to fixed blocks 99, set in the roadbed. Levers7 8 have wedgeshaped plates 10 10* secured to or formed with them aspart of the structure, which plates project above the surface of theroad bed and have inclined diverging faces (1 d. The pointed end of suchplate is set toward the direction of travel on the line, and when theswitch will be approached from both directions on the main track, asrepresented in the plan, Fig. 1, the two plates 10 10* will point incontrary directions. If the switchis approached from one direction only,as in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, and the switch isintended to throw to siding or branches, as D E, the second set of rods,lever, and plate, 5 6 7 10, which are placed in the track between thesidings D and E, need not be used, and in such case the principaloscillating lever 1 will require but two arms or points ofattaclnnent-one for the tie-bar B, and the other for the connecting-rod5.

Upon the under side of the engine or the motor at the head of the trainI provide a switch-throwing mechanism or device to automatically operateon the wedge-shaped plates 10 10*. These plates, being set in the pathor line of movement of the stops or projecting parts of such device,arestruck and caused-to turn upon the center of motion by contact of thestops with the edges of the plates. This throws the switch in therequired direction to one side or the other before the front wheels ofthe engine reach the switch-section.

As shown in Fig. 5 and the accompanying details, the operating-stops aremoved into and out of Working position by a handlever, 2 They are alsoset in several positions to change or vary the direction and extent ofthrow or movement of the wedgeshaped plates. By the position given tothese stops a train is caused to take a side track in either directionto the right or the left from the principal line or to pass over theswitch and keep the main line, and their adjustment is effected andentirely governed from the engine.

When the switching of a train ,from the main track to a branch is alwaysto be made in a given directionas, for instance, for a train running ona main line and then branching off or taking asiding to give the mainline to a train following the position of these operating-stops may befixed, and no adjusting mechanism will be necessary. Each train,therefore, will set its own switch without any attention on the part ofthe engineer. As I have here constructed and applied theswitch-operating device itis adapted to throw the switch to eithersiding from the main line, and the reverse, and is adjustable to passover without throwing the switch fron the main line.

F. is a barrel or case to hold a sliding bolt, G, to which are -fixedtwo short studs, arms, or stops, HH, having friction-rollersff. Thebarrel F is secured to the under side of the truck crosswise, betweenthe leading and driving wheels of the engine, and thestops project andwork through a slot, 9. in the bottom. Connection of the slide G is madewith a bell-crank lever, I, having its center of motion at h on theengine-frame. Its larger member is attached to the bolt G by means of abutton, I, and a connecting-rod, J, connects its shorter member to ahand-lever, z, pivoted in a stand, K, on the engine-cab and workingthrough a slot in the platform. The button I rests in a peripheral slot,6, in the part G, and moves back and forth with said part G in a slot,f*,

i in the case F.

The two stops H are arranged at a certain fixed distance apart, thespace or distance between them being equal to the width of the butt-endor base of the wedge-shaped plates or dogs 10 10*. While holding thisposition with respect to each other they are movable ment in its case F,for which purpose the slide G is fixed on a square shaft, m, having oneend carried out through the barrel or case to receive a crank, N, fromwhich a draw-rod, P, is carried back to the cab, where it is readilyreached and handled. Cross-slots g g are cut in the barrel or case toreceive the stops when turned up.

.To look the slide G, a spring pin or bolt, B, is fixed in a chamber, U,onthe side of the barrel or case F, to which bolt connection by linkpivoted at t to lever S, pivoted at m, is made to the engine-frame. Thepin or bolt B runs into a groove, 7', which extends partially around thepart G,and thus prevents longitudinal play of the same, while it allowsit to partially rotate.

A rod, T, connects the end of the lever to a small bell-crank, U, bywhich a horizontal movement of the lever-rod T is produced by means ofan upright lever-handle, V, in the cab. For convenience of action thislever V is pivoted to the throwing-lever .2, so that the locking-pin Bis withdrawn by the act of grasping the lever handle 2 to throw the boltG. This arrangement will be understood from Figs. 5 and 6 of thedrawings. In place of these studs and friction-rollers, I may use stopswith inclined and curved faces, as at H, Fig. 9, so that the surfaces tostrike and run in contact with the diagonal faces of theswitch-actuating dogs or plates will have somewhat of a cam shape.

Aswitchlock is combined with the switchsetting mechanism in such mannerthat it is operated'by the stops H H to hold the switch at any positionof adjustment and to release the switch and render it capable of beingset in any desired position, and again to lock the switch when it is soset, all of which is accomplished automatically from the train. In frontof the block 10* is placed a triangular or wedge-shaped unlocking-plate.13, whichis fixed to the crank-lever 15, which is pivoted at 16 to ablock fixed in the road-bed. One arm of the lever 15 is connected to rod17, which latter is connected at its opposite end to the pivoted lever14, which carries a wedge-shaped locking-plate, 12, and in turn has itsopposite end connected to the draw-bar 19. At the free end of the switchthe bar 19 is provided on its under side with lockinglugs y y y. withspaces z .2 between them. The lugs 11 1/ 31 work in the space betweenthe lugs 00 w on the switch-bar B, and when any one of the lugs y y 1occupies said space (between lugs x 00) the switch is locked; but wheneither of the spaces z 2 lies in the space between the lugs 00 x theswitch is unlocked and the bar B may be moved. Now, supposing a train toapproach the switch in direction of arrow, Fig. 1, its stops or arms Hare already set so as to turn the switch as desired on reaching 10*, andthe plates 13 and 10* lying in line, the plate 18 will be turned asdesired also. By turning the plate 13 the rod 17 is moved, and- IIOthrough it and lever 14 the rod 19 is moved, to bring a space 2 intoline with the lugs :10 w, and then the switch is unlocked as the bar Bmay be moved as desired. Now, when the train reaches plate 10* theswitch will be set in the desired position, as already explained.-

After setting the switch the train also locks it in the position inwhich it is set by the following mechanism: The lever 1 1 is suppliedwith a wedge-shaped plate, 12, set in line with plates 10* and 13, thefurther movement of which in the same direction as plate 13 has beenmoved will relock the switch. As already explained, lever 14 isconnected to drawbar 19, and it is evident from the connected levers(shown on large scale in Fig. 3) that if plate 12 be moved farther insame direction as plate 13 has been it will bring one of the lugs y goutside of one of the lugs 00 w on bar B and lock the parts.

In the application of my invention to a three-throw switch, as given inFigs. 1 and 2, the three lugs y 3 "y" have different locking positionsfor the bar 19, the center one to hold the switch to the main line, thelower one, y, to lock it in position to siding E, and the outer one, y,to hold it to the branch track 1). The three separate movements of thelocking-bar 19, as well as of the switch itself, are controlled andregulated by the position given to the stops H H. When set in positionto the center they pass over the dogs 13 10* 12 without moving them fromthe longitudinal line or axis, so that the switch is kept to the maintrack, while their position to the extreme right or left will move thedogs in corresponding direction and throw the switch to one or the otherof the branch tracks, as, for instance, as shown in Fig. 1, the switchis set to main line and the central lug, as shown, is locked in betweenthe lugs or projections on the bar 13. If the switch is to be thrown tosiding E, the wedge-shaped pieces 13 and 12 are struck on the left-handside by the projection on the train, and the lockisiirst unlocked bystriking 13, and a further movement occurring in the same direction bystriking 12,

I the lug if is brought into the space at the left of lug m, and theswitch, having been operated,

by theintermediate movement of10*, is locked. So when the switch is tobe set to the siding D the pieces 13 and 12 are struck on the righthandside, and the lug y locked in the space to the right oflug or.

'To operate the look from a contrary direction, as when the travel onthe main or the branch track is in both directions, I attach the end ofthe bar 19 to a pivoted plate, 20,

and then connect the plate by means of rods to operating levers orplates located in the track of the main and the branch lines, theposition of which operating-rods in the branches is indicated in Fig. 1by the dot ted lines 21, and in the main lineby the rod 19*.

If the travel on the branch tracks D E is in both directions, each trackwill have a set of switch-operating and lock-operating dogs, 10 12 13,the same as represented on the main track, and as the construction andapplication of all these parts will be the same it is not considerednecessary to show their special application in the drawings. In practiceI prefer to carry the operatingrods through pipes or tubes, as clearlyshown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, and to leave exposed only suchparts as are necessary.

Instead of arranging the dogs to be worked by lateral pressure and movehorizontally, I may, when a single-throw switch to be operated only inone way is to be used, employ the construction represented in detailview, Fig. 2, in which the dogs are worked by a vertical pressurereceived from the end of the stops H. A friction roller or wheel, f,will then be required in the stop H.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a switch-unlocking mechanism, a switch-operatingmechanism, and a means, substantially as described, for locking theswitch after each throw, consisting of the lever 14, projecting surface12, and a locking slide or draw bar, 19, adapted to operate lockingdevices at or near the free end of the switch, as set forth.

2. In combination with a switeh-section or movable portion in a line ofrailway, the switch-operating lever, wedgeplate, and'connecting-rodsconstituting the switch-actuating mechanism, and the wedge-plates 13 and12, rod 17, and drawbar 19, having the stops 3 y y, and the lugs 00 x onthe switch-bar, constituting a locking device which is adapted to beoperated by engagement with projecting stops carried by the locomotive,and to be 0perated in advance of and after the operation of the switchby the said stops to unlock the switch before its throw and lock itafter it is set, substantially as hereinbefore described.

3. The combination, with the slotted barrel or case F, of the bolt G,movable therein and provided with arms or stops H, extending out throughthe slots in the barrel, substantially as and for the purpose herein setforth.

4. The combination, with the slotted hold ing barrel or case F, of thebolt G, having stops or projections H H, the lever I, crank N,connectingrods J P, operating-handle z the 10cking-pin R, and itsoperating leverhandle and connecting mechanism, substantially as hereindescribed.

CHARLES S. DRAKE. [L. s]

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD Osnonn, F. M. DowNnY.

IIO

